Gwinnett County Family Violence (Temporary Protective Orders)

Georgia has strong family violence laws. A temporary protective order, or TPO, is a court-issued legal document that protects victims from people abusing, harassing, or stalking them. If you are a victim of family violence, you can go to the Superior Court of the county in which you live and seek an “ex parte” protective order. Ex parte is latin meaning for one party. That means your spouse will not be there. If the order is issued, the person who committed the violence will be escorted from his home by the sheriff and required to come by a few days later to a hearing. At the later hearing the accused can explain their side of the story.

Get Legal The Representation You Need

Because this is so sudden, many times the accused and the victim are not represented by attorneys. However, having an experienced attorney is important to protect your individual rights and those of your family. At the hearing,the judge can only do one of two things: issue the order or dismiss the order. If the order is issued, then the parties will not have contact for a period of time, usually one year. If there are children, limited contact is granted, and child support and visitation is entered into the order. This is done in a matter of minutes.

Violent or abusive living conditions are very difficult on the family. If you need help understanding your rights in relation to temporary restraining orders, Harold D. Holcombe P.C. can help. We handle these matters with Gwinnett County residents, always making sure that your family’s safety comes first. Contact us today at (678) 344-0116 to speak to a compassionate and trusted family law attorney.